Welcome to Anthem 45 in my attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you will enjoy listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com – @realanthem52 or Instagram – @realanthem52 and send me a message to show@anthem52.com.
It was a slightly odd week for composition. I found it difficult to get going but when I did it seemed to go fairly well.
Guess where I found the words? Yes, you’re correct – Isaac Watts. This time it’s a very positive set of lyrics so I decided on a loud anthem, with emphatic organ accompaniment.
Here are the words I chose:
Words for Anthem 45:
Behold, the grace appears,
The promise is fulfilled;
Mary, the wondrous virgin, bears,
And Jesus is the Child.The Lord, the highest God,
Calls Him His only Son;
He bids Him rule the lands abroad,
And gives Him David’s throne.Glory to God on high!
And heav’nly peace on earth;
At our Redeemer’s birth!
As you may have guessed, this is just the whole of the first two verses and then three lines from the last verse of Watts’ hymn. It just seemed to work out that way.
I started off with a fairly restrained pace for an organ introduction followed by the choir repeating essentially the same notes. The organ also repeats underneath after a few bars and this effect is pleasing – at least to me.
Next, ‘The promise is fulfilled’ receives a block chordal treatment in unaccompanied choir fashion followed by big chords on the organ.
I then decided to increase the speed of the music considerably and have the organ playing fast quavers to accompany the choir. This creates an interesting and frenetic texture.
The elements from the beginning to this faster section form the basis of the second verse. When (if) I return to this short anthem, I think I will probably add another section in before the concluding one because it all feels a little too short, especially moving at this pace.
The final section beginning ‘Glory to God on high’ features a canon-style choir treatment above a gradually rising set of chords in the organ. While I like this idea, it probably needs some refinement. Once it’s perfect, I think it will be an exciting and fun ending. I rather like the way the final organ chords bring it all to a conclusion.
Anyway, see what you think:
Well, what do you think? Let me know on X.com @realanthem52, Instagram @realanthem52, as a comment below or via email show@anthem52.com
I hope you will join me next week for a new episode – and a new anthem – only 7 to go – but until then the question remains – will I make it to Anthem 52?
